Gravity-amalgamator.



Patented Mar. [2, 1901,

No. 669 ,67l.

J. TOBIN. GRAVITY AMALGAMATUR. (Application filed Jan. 22, 1900.)

' (No Model.)

0,. murmur" JOHN TOBIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE N. JOYCE, OF SAME PLACE.

G RAVlTY-AMALGAMATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,671, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed January 22, 1900. Serial No. 2,305. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN TOBIN, a resident of the borough of Brooklymin the city,county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gravity- Amalgamators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an amalgamator for separating gold and other precious metals, as silver and platinum, from auriferous or other metal-containing earths, which shall cause a more intimate admixture of the amalgamating metal with the passing ore and a greater yield of precious metal for a given quantity of ore than the amalgamators previously used.

In operation my amalgamator contains two columns of material of different heights, one acting to overbalance the other and to force it, against the resistance of a body of mercury, through that body.

My amalgamator is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is avertical sectional side view of my amalgamator, the section being taken on the line y y'of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a front view of my amalgamator, partly in section, on the line at 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a face view of my dashplate; and Fig. 4: is a side sectional View thereof, showing also the amalgamating plates, Figs. 3 and 4 being on a somewhat larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a side sectional View, on a reduced scale, of an amalgamator with a tapering stand-pipe.

Similar letters denote similar parts throughsut the several views.

A is a vertical rectangular stand-pipe made up of flanged tubular sections of sheet metal, secured together in any desired manner, as

0 by bolts.

the stand-pipe is secured the mercury-pot W, covering the bottom of the stand-pipe and extending out in front of the stand-pipe for a short distance. This pot is supported by standards O, of any suitable constructiomand it in turn supports the stand-pipe A.

Fastened to opposite walls of the stand-pipe A are set obliquely the dash-plates D, the alternate plates being on opposite sides of the stand-pipe and each plate sloping toward the one below. The width of the dash-plates is somewhat less than that of the interior of the stand-pipe, so that a narrow space is left on each side between the dash-plate and the adjacent stand-pipe wall. This free space prevents the accumulation of pay-dirt in the angles at the sides of the dash-plates. A series of long narrow perforations E is out in each dash-plate, and below or between the perforations is formed a nugget riffle or riffles F for the purpose of retaining any nuggets that may be mixed with the ore. I have shown only one such riffle, but several may be placed on the same plate, if desired. Below each dashplate is an amalgamating-plate G, of copper or othersuitable material. Both the dash-plates and amalgam ati ng-plates are made with small lips or hooks at the upper side to fit in the sockets T on the walls of the stand-pipe A, and thus are readily detachable for the purpose of removing the gold which they have gathered.

At the bottom of the mercury-pot is the amalgam-pot H, provided with a handle S for convenient removal. In the lower part of the mercury-pot and above the amalgam-pot is a body of mercury M. Depending from the forward wall of the stand-pipe A and dipping below the surface of the mercury is a diaphragm V. This diaphragm extends the full width of the mercury-pot, dividingit into two chambers, and with the rear sides of the mercury pot forms, in effect, an extension of the standpipe A, which dips below the surface of the mercury. At the forward side of the mercury-pot is a discharge-spout I to carry away the tailings. The bottom of the dischargespout I is provided with transverse cleats or riftles I to catch any mercury that may be carried over with the tailings.

Pivoted at any convenient point, as at K,

on the front side of the stand-pipe A is a swinging lever-arm L, extending down into the mercury and arranged to be oscillated by the hand-lever O. The arm L swings in front of the diaphragm V, and its lower end is curved or bent up into a hook N, reaching above the surface of the mercury on the inner side of the diaphragm. The arm L at the point where it is bent extends so far below the diaphragm that it will not touch the dia phragm at any point of the swing. The hook N acts as a stirrer for the body of pay-dirt in the lower part of the stand-pipe A and in the mercury-pot and is intended especially for use when the amalgamator is run drythat is, when the pay-dirt is fed into the hopper 13 without the assistance of a stream of water to carry it through the amalgamator. A pump P, with pistou-rodR and connectingrod Q attached to the hand-lever O, is arranged to supply a stream of water to the ho pper B by the pipe Z. Both the lever-arm L and connectingrod Q are detachably connected with the hand-lever 0, so that either may be disconnected and thrown out of operation while theother remains in use.

The operation of my amalgamator is as follows: A quantity of pay-dirt is fed into the hopper B and descends, assisted by a stream of water from the pipe Z, through the standpipe A, falling from plate to plate. Such portions as pass through the slotsE of the plates D fall on the amalgamating-plates directly below and give up part of their gold thereon. When the pay-dirt reaches the surface of the mercury on the inner side of the diaphragm, itaccumulates until its superincumbent weight becomes sufficient to force it down through the mercury and under the diaphragm. Having passed the diaphragm it will rise on the other side by its buoyancy and will be gradually forced up to the level of the discharge-spout I, by which it will be conducted away. While passing through the mercury it is freed of its remaining contained gold and passes therefrom as tailings. The amalgam of mercury and gold being heavier than the mercury alone sinks down to the amalgam-pot H, whence it may be removed from time to time, as convenient.

The overbalancing column of dirt in the stand-pipe A differs in height for different quantities of mercury in the pot and also for different qualities of ore. The stand-pipe of course must be of a height sufficient to give the proper head to forcethe material through.

For some qualities of pay-dirt the Watersupply is unnecessary. In such case I disconnect the pump and depend upon the stirrer to prevent any clogging of the dirt at the surface of the mercury on the inner side of the diaphragm. To further facilitate the passage of the dry earth, it is also well to make the stand-pipe A slightly tapering, so that it shall be larger at the bottom than at the top, as seen in Fig. 5. For some loose earths with a water-current it will be unnecessary to usethe stirrer. It is then disconnected, and the pump alone is relied on to keep up a current through the pot H.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a gravity-amalgamator, the combination with a mercury-pot adapted to contain a body of mercury, and means for supporting the pot, of a stand-pipe dipping below the surface of the mercury in the pot, said stand-pipe being of less area than the surface of the mercury in the pot and of sucha height that the column of pay-dirt contained in it will overcome the resistance to the passage of said dirt through said mercury, and a removable amalgam-pot within the mercury-pot, substantially as described.

2. In a gravity-amalgamator, the combination with a mercury-pot adapted to contain a body of mercury, and means forsupporting the pot, of a diaphragm dipping below the surface of the mercury, extending across the pot and dividing it into two chambers, and a stand-pipe covering one of said chambers, and of such a height that the column of paydirt contained in it will overcome the resistance to the passage of said dirt through said mercury, and a removable amalgam pot within the mercury-pot, substantially as described.

3. In a gravity-amalgamator, the combination with a mercury-pot adapted to contain a body of mercury, and supports therefor, of a diaphragm dipping below the surface of the mercury, extending across the pot, and dividing it into two chambers, a stand-pipe covering one of said chambers and adapted to feed pay-dirt into said chamber, an oscillating stirrer pivoted to the exterior of the stand-pipe extending into the open chamber of the pot and an extension on said stirrer reaching under the diaphragm and above the surface of the mercury on the inner side of the diaphragm, substantially as described.

4. In a gravity-amalgamator, the combination with a mercury-pot adapted to contain a body of mercury, and supports therefor, of a diaphragm dipping below the surface of the mercury, extending across the pot, and dividing it into two chambers, a stand-pipe covering one of said chambers, and adapted to feed pay-dirt into said chamber, an oscillating stirrer pivoted to the exterior of the stand-pipe extending into the open chamber of the pot, an extension on said-stirrer reaching under the diaphragm and above the surface of the mercury on the inner side of the diaphragm, a pump and connections for supplying water to the upper end of the standpipe, and means for operating the stirrer and the pump, substantially as described.

5. In a graVity-ainalgamator, the combination with a mercury-pot adapted to contain In testimony whereof I have signed this a body of mercury, and supports therefor, of specification in the presence of two witnesses. a stand-pipe adapted to deliver pay-dirt into the pot, a removable amalgam-pot Within the O TOBIN' mercury-pot, a discharge-spout for taiiings, Witnesses: and riffies in the discharge-spout, substan- THEODORE T. DORMAN,

tially as described. EDWARD J. W'ALSH. 

